Partitive Division: The Numbers Matter to Young Children

Saved in:
Bibliographic Details
Title: Partitive Division: The Numbers Matter to Young Children
Language: English
Authors: Jill Cheeseman, Ann Downton, Kerryn Driscoll, Mathematics Education Research Group of Australasia (MERGA)
Source: Mathematics Education Research Group of Australasia. 2025.
Availability: Mathematics Education Research Group of Australasia. GPO Box 2747, Adelaide SA 5001, Australia. Tel: +61-8-8363-0288; Fax: +61-8-8362-9288; e-mail: sales@merga.net.au; Web site: http://www.merga.net.au/
Peer Reviewed: N
Page Count: 8
Publication Date: 2025
Document Type: Speeches/Meeting Papers
Reports - Research
Descriptors: Division, Numbers, Young Children, Problem Solving, Foreign Countries
Geographic Terms: Australia
Abstract: This paper contains an analysis of some early thinking of 94 young children aged 5 years 7 months to 6 years 5 months. These children were interviewed as part of a larger study of the multiplicative thinking of children who were midway through their first year of school in Australia. They had not been formally taught multiplication or division at school. Three task-based interview questions were posed using partitive contexts. The children attempted to solve 12 ÷ 3, 7 ÷ 2 and 22 ÷ 4. An analysis of the responses of these children reveals many children can solve division problems even when the numbers get larger and where the divisor is not a factor of the dividend.
Abstractor: As Provided
Entry Date: 2025
Accession Number: ED676436
Database: ERIC
Description
Abstract:This paper contains an analysis of some early thinking of 94 young children aged 5 years 7 months to 6 years 5 months. These children were interviewed as part of a larger study of the multiplicative thinking of children who were midway through their first year of school in Australia. They had not been formally taught multiplication or division at school. Three task-based interview questions were posed using partitive contexts. The children attempted to solve 12 ÷ 3, 7 ÷ 2 and 22 ÷ 4. An analysis of the responses of these children reveals many children can solve division problems even when the numbers get larger and where the divisor is not a factor of the dividend.